Pasadena water polo team has ‘good chemistry’

By SHEL SEGAL
They say defense wins championships. But don’t count out chemistry.
A tight-knit group, the Pasadena High boys’ water polo team is 17-6 as the CIF Southern Section playoffs near. And if the Bulldogs get that 18th win, it will mark the first time in memory that has happened.
“It’s very incredible,” said Matthew Esser, set guard/point. “No team in the past 15 years has ever gotten close to it, so it’s good to be that team that is able to break it.”
Edin Memisevic, another set guard/point, said the team’s chemistry has reached new levels this season.
“Our chemistry has been very good this year,” Memisevic said. “It’s the best since I’ve been on varsity. We’re a close-knit group. We have lunch together. We hang out together. We just get along and that helps during the games.”
Matt Klein, an attacker, said teams without chemistry end up fighting an uphill battle in the pool or in any competitive match.
“We play the games with a smile on our face,” Klein said. “I think a team that doesn’t have chemistry is just going to get really frustrated very easily. We’ve played teams that start yelling at each other and getting into each other’s heads. They start taking bad shots or making bad passes. They play a little timid because they don’t want to get yelled at by their teammates.”
And coach Neil Esser said not one player stands out from the rest, adding to the team’s cohesiveness.
“We’re not blessed with an awful lot of size,” Neil Esser said. “But what we lack in physical dimensions we make up mentally. We make it tough for teams to move the ball against us. This isn’t Michael and the Jordanairs on this team. I love the team chemistry.”
As for their work in the pool, Kyle Radcliff, the goalie, said the team is solid all around.
“Our strength has been being strong at all six positions,” Radcliff said. “Some teams are strong at only one or two positions. All six starters have scored at least 15 goals. We lost a few people from last year, so it’s good to have this consistency with our starters.”
Radcliff added that in addition to chemistry, there is that aspect of defense that keeps rearing its head.
“At times our offense has struggled, but it’s always our defense that has kept us in the games and kept us close,” Radcliff said.
But Matthew Esser has kept it all in perspective for the Bulldogs.
“We’re going to just play hard and just remember to have fun,” he said.
(Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com. Follow him via Twitter @sports_beacon.)

More from News